1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a boat docking apparatus, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a moorage for affixing to a floating dock and allowing a user to single handedly soft land, dock, and moor a boat thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for boat docking apparatuses have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,706 to Julien teaches a universal joint for transmitting power with a considerable torsional conical and axial elasticity from a driving shaft to a driven shaft in substantial alignment therewith and comprising in concentric relation an outer drum connected to one shaft, an inner hub connected to the other shaft, the inner hub having a diameter smaller than ⅔ the diameter of the the drum, and an elastic coupling member extending between and connecting the drum and the hub, the elastic coupling member having an annular shape with a minimum thickness in axial direction, the minimum thickness being smaller than the radial width of the the member between the hub and the drum, the elastic coupling member comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged annular bodies of an elastic material, closed metal rings being inserted between the annular bodies.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,353 to Foss teaches a dock construction comprising a floating dock unit, a plurality of anchoring elements completely embedded in the ground beneath the water, and normally slack flexible elements connecting the dock unit to the anchoring elements at points spaced from the top surface of such ground, the flexible elements being connected to the dock unit at oppositely facing points and diverging downwardly at substantially uniform angles to the vertical.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,790 to McCormick teaches a hook having a concave surface forming a bay and extensions curving oppositely away to comprise ends opposite each other with a gap between them, a detent housed in the structure at one of the ends of the hook and being directed towards the oppositely disposed end, a spring for the detent housed therewith and tensioned to actuate the detent towards and into engagement with the oppositely disposed hook end, detent control mechanism housed in the structure and comprising a gripper for the detent, a spring for the gripper and an actuating finger extending from the gripper and projecting out of the structure into the bay to a position away from the concave surface of the bay, the gripper being movable alternatively out of engagement with the detent and into engagement therewith to hold the detent against actuation by the detent spring, the gripper spring being tensioned to actuate the gripper into holding engagement with the detent and simultaneously move the abutment finger away from the concave surface of the bay, actuation of the abutment finger towards the concave surface by an object in the bay of the hook being opposed to the gripper spring and operating to move the gripper out of engagement with the detent to release the detent for its actuation by its spring.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,501 to Bascome Jr. teaches a restraining device to prevent the lateral deflection of a floating small boat moored bow end to a boat landing structure connected to a shore, comprising a support adapted to be mounted on the structure, a pair of opposed arms removably and pivotally mounted on the support for vertical angular motion, the arms being diverged so as to enable the arms to be adapted to straddle the bow and engage the forward opposite sides of the boat to be restrained, and spring means associated with each the arm tending to resist its lateral deflection.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,885 to Nolf teaches a docking mechanism for boats, the combination of: a docking bar having mounting means thereupon for securing the bar to a boat; automatic grasping and holding means for the bar securable to a wharf the automatic grasping and holding means including an elongated tube on the wharf, a rod slidable in the tube and a cushioning element on the rod, the grasping and holding means including a semi-circular spring element having inwardly and angularly directed spring arms movable away from each other to allow passage of the bar therebetween, the arms having locking means thereupon to prevent accidental release of the bar; and a float connected to the rod adapted to maintain the spring element at a desired height above the water level.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,839 to Nolf teaches boat docking apparatus comprising: a docking rail attachable to the bow of a boat in a substantially vertical plane; a mount attachable to a dock and including a cylinder projecting horizontally forwardly when thus attached; a plunger slidable in the cylinder and including a shank projecting from the forward end of the cylinder; resilient shock-cushioning means interposed between the rear end of the plunger and the rear end of the cylinder; a yoke secured to the forward end of the plunger, the yoke comprising laterally spaced parallel ways; guide arms secured to the ways and projecting therefrom in forwardly diverging relation in a horizontal plane; a trigger having in its forward end a notch to receive the docking bar, the trigger bridging between and having parallel side marginal portions slidable mounted in the ways, the guide arms being arranged to guide the docking bar against the forward end of the trigger and into the notch so as to automatically effect rearward retraction of the trigger in response to boat-docking movement; a cocking spring engaging the rear end of the trigger and loading it for forward projection to a cocked position for engagement by the docking rail; and a latch comprising a guide barrel attached to a the of the yoke and projecting transversely to the axis of the cylinder, a latch bolt slidable in the barrel, the bolt having a forward end abutting a side of the trigger when the latter is in the cocked position whereby the bolt is held in a retracted position, a latch spring engaged under compression between the rear end of the bolt and the end of the barrel and loading the bolt for projection from the retracted position past the forward end of the trigger and across the docking bar so as to latch the same to the yoke when the trigger is retracted by the docking bar.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,587 to Ross teaches a system of docking and mooring boats relative to a boat well having a well base dock structure, and two outwardly extending well side dock structures defining therebetween the boat well, the improvement which comprises first cable means connected at one end to the base dock structure at a point spaced from a first of the side dock structures and passing over the boat well to a connection at its other end on the the first side dock structure adjacent the free end of the latter; resilient means in the cable between the end connections thereof, second cable means connected at one end to the base dock structure at a point spaced from a second of the side dock structures and passing over the boat well to a connection at its other end on the the second side dock structure adjacent the free end of the latter; resilient means in the second cable intermediate the end connections thereof, the first and second cables crossing one another in the boat well.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,259 to Loire teaches a single point mooring and fender suitable for large ocean going vessels. A dolphin is embraced by two fender bars in crossing relationship and having at least one resilient yielding member to resist spreading.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,702 to Capps teaches a boat dock for use to store boat therein, the boat dock including a boat slip having an open entry, opposed sidewalls and a front, a dock guard secured to each dock sidewall at the entry and extending laterally from the sidewall to which it is attached and forwardly of the entry. A first intermediate guard affixed to one of the dock sidewalls and extending a short distance from the sidewall, a second intermediate guard affixed to the other sidewall opposite to the first intermediate guard, the second intermediate guard extending a short distance from the sidewall, the first intermediate guard being adjustable so that the spacing between the first and second intermediate guards is that which is slightly greater than the width of the boat to which the dock is adapted and a pair of padded stop members secured to the dock front and spaced apart and positioned to receive the forward position of the boat bow therebetween and a winch secured to the dock front between the pair of padded stop members, the winch having a retractable flexible member, the outer end of which is attached to the bow of the boat.
A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,234 to Ryan teaches a boat docking system having a V-shaped horizontal floating structure held together by two underwater bents. The structure is constructed of two flexible fiberglass rods which allows the structure to open up and conform to a shape of a boat inserted into the V-shape. The two bents acts as spring clips to open up the V-shape against resilient force, and to thereafter close around the contour of the boat. The V-shape structure is floated intermittently by tubular foam buoys fixed along lengths of the V-shape structure. A strut anchored to the dock at one end and attached to the V-shape structure at another end with a sliding joint gives stability to the floating structure as well as provides the proper distance during docking of the boat to the walkway.
AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,007 to Hunt teaches apparatus and method for docking a boat. The present invention may be used to dock motor powered or sail boats weighing upwards of several tons that when moving have a large, potentially damaging inertia due to their weight. A guide frame configuration provides a large target to which the boat can be steered, and once therein the guide frame directs the boat centrally inwardly with respect to the guide frame. The guide frame moves axially with the momentum of the boat supported by an elongate support member. One or more compression members are compressed by a stop member upon reaching the desired docking target. The compression members are compressible between push pipes that move with the guide frame on an elongate support member and a stop member that is fixed with respect to the elongate support member.
A TWELFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,016 to Parsons teaches a dock pole bumper assembly for securing a boat to mooring piling. The assembly has a stationary portion which is secured to the piling and forms a track along which the movable portion glides. A movable portion has a rigid part and a flexible deformable part. The rigid part is provided with a guide channel for engaging the stationary portion during use of the bumper assembly. The resilient deformable portion has an impact-receiving contact surface and non-contacting opposing side walls. Mooring cleats are mounted on the side walls of the rigid member to allow a mooring line of a boat to be secured thereto. An insert of a friction-resistant material is fitted in the guide channel to facilitate movement of the movable portion along the stationary track.
A THIRTEENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,169 to Schwantes teaches a boat mooring device for releasably securing a boat to a dock that includes a sleeve which is elongated and has a first open end and a second open end. A pair of legs are attached to the sleeve and extend away from the sleeve in the general direction of the second open end. A pair of brackets removably secure the legs to a dock. An elongated rod has a length greater than the sleeve and is extendable through the sleeve. The rod has a first end and a second end. A pair of biasing members are positioned on and bias the ends of the rod from a respectively adjacent end of the sleeves. A securing member for removably secures the first end of the rod to a boat.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for boat docking apparatuses have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.